HIV-positive man
appeals dismissal of discrimination lawsuit

An HIV-positive former employee of Belle Bonfils Memorial Blood Center in Denver is appealing a lower court's dismissal of a discrimination lawsuit he filed against the center after he was forced out of his job because of his HIV status, the Denver Post reports. John Couture told the 10th U.S. court of appeals in Denver that he is pursuing the case because he doesn't want the center to continue to discriminate against HIV-positive people. He claims he was hired in August 2001 as a mobile phlebotomist but was later forced out of that job and given a different position when he told his supervisors he is HIV-positive. Couture says center officials told him they were worried he might expose blood donors to HIV, despite the fact that there has never been a case of HIV being transmitted to a blood donor from a phlebotomist. Couture quit his reassigned position as a laboratory technician after one week. Couture's lawsuit claims the blood center violated its contract with him and also violated the Americans With Disabilities Act, which protects HIV-positive people from discrimination. A lower court dismissed the lawsuit last year. A decision by a three-judge appeals court panel is expected in the next few months. (Advocate.com)